


All I need is you

by BooksAndDragons



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Mentions of neglect, The True Meaning of Christmas, but it's all happy and gay times here, mentions of abuse, there's some flashbacks referred to here, two boys being in love during the christmas season
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 15:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17144597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksAndDragons/pseuds/BooksAndDragons
Summary: Christmas has never been the easiest time of year, and it wasn't always the happiest. But this year, Akira and Ryuji would make sure the holiday they spent together was important, that it meant something.It was the first time in years that either of them truly had felt happy, like they belonged. And they knew in that moment, it would last forever.Written for the Pegoryu Server’s Secret Santa!!(Merry Christmas Twyla <3)





	All I need is you

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo I wrote this for the Secret Santa in the Pegoryu server, Merry Christmas Twyla!! Hope you like this and have an amazing holiday!! <333
> 
> Merry Christmas, everyone!!

The warm aroma of Leblanc was a welcoming contrast to the bitter winter chill outside, voices from the television filled the air between the chatter and hissing simmer of the stove.

Akira hummed as he worked, watching chocolate melt into the milk, small bubbles of heat mindlessly stirred away. It had been a while since he’d made hot chocolate, even longer since he’d had it to share with someone. 

Absentmindedly, he couldn’t help but wonder if things could be different this year...he had friends he’d bought presents for- would they all sit on Christmas day, and unwrap them together? Maybe there would be a  _ real  _ Christmas dinner- the table would be full and busy, rowdy voices crowding over one another, passing plates and laughing...it was nice to imagine, to daydream about…

So distracted by his thoughts, Akira almost missed the arms wrapping around his waist. The chin resting on his shoulder brought him back to attention.

“You alright? You stopped stirrin’.” He could all but hear the frown that would undoubtedly be resting on Ryuji’s face, watching him carefully.

Akira rediverted his gaze from when it had been hazily fixated on the counter, to the pot, and instantly resumed the gentle stirs, the bubbles threatening to boil over, instantly popping with each turn of the spoon.

“Just thinking.” Akira responded lightly, tilting his head slightly so it could knock against Ryuji’s, not letting his gaze stray from the near-boiling pot.

Briefly Ryuji tightened his grip, before relaxing more into Akira, his chest firmly against Akira’s back, “S’long as you’re okay, you’d tell me if you weren’t up to it, right?”

Akira felt a slight flutter in his chest as he smiled, briefly removing his attention from the simmering pot to glance at Ryuji, who’d raised his head at the movement. Leaning forward, one hand cupping Ryuji’s chin, Akira placed a light kiss on his cheek.

“Of course, besides you know I wouldn’t miss tonight for the world.” He shook his head, going back to tending to the hot chocolate, a small victorious smirk on his lips when he noticed the slight blush to Ryuji’s face.

The moment was ruined by a gagging sound, Futaba looking up from her laptop.

“No wonder Sojiro went shopping, you two are so  _ sappy _ . Bleh, I should’ve gone with him.” Neither of the boys could help the laughter bubbling in their chest as Futaba’s face twists.

“But then you would’ve had to go out in the Christmas rush. Busy crowds and loud voices….” Akira shot her a smug and knowing look as the younger girl groaned.

“Whatever,” Turning her attention back to her screen, she threw one final warning their way. “And didn’t Sojiro say no ‘getting handsy’ behind the counter? Shift it, Ryuji.”

“Wha- dude! We weren’t doing anything!” Ryuji spluttered, his hands remaining cuddled around Akira, unmoved.

“You were doing enough.” The hacker grumbled, only matched by the low snark of Akira’s own voice.

“Says the girl who’s read every weird porny doujin on the internet.” He didn’t even make an attempt to look up, instead smiling in satisfaction as the rate the pot boiled seemed to increase, “Finally.”

Turning off the stove, he almost missed the hand that removed itself from his waist, honing in on a nearby jar.

He couldn’t move fast enough, too preoccupied with turning off the hob, the hand had already caught its hapless victim, making a hasty retreat to Ryuji’s own person.

“Hey! The marshmallows are for the hot chocolate- not snacking!” Akira gaped, attempting to make a grab for them, just as Ryuji threw the sweet treat into his mouth, cheeks bulging, looking something akin to a smug chipmunk. It was hard to try be mad at him, Akira tried to fight down a smile.

“-oo wate.” The words were muffled slightly by the marshmallows, but that only made the situation more amusing. Grinning, Akira shook his head.

“So that’s the real reason you gave me a hug, you just wanted marshmallows!”

Akira wasn’t sure it was possible to gape with your mouth full of marshmallows without losing any, but Ryuji was doing his best attempt, before hastily closing his mouth, a mischievous smile taking over his expression.

“I’m ‘appy ‘oo shar.” He leaned closer, eyes wide in mock-seduction, and Akira finally couldn’t control his amusement, shaking his laughter as the sight. 

“No! Ryuji that’s  _ disgusting _ .” Playfully, he pushed the blond away, reaching for matching mugs.

He didn’t get a reply until Ryuji had finally swallowed his marshmallows, mischief still clear on his face, “Your loss.”

Carefully pouring the hot drink into mugs, Akira only smirked in response, “Oh I’m sure it is, maybe you can as Sojiro next time?”

As Ryuji spluttered helplessly, Akira had to momentarily put the pot down, too busy laughing to care for their drinks at that moment in time.

“Wha- I- NO! No! That’s just….No!” Ryuji turned away for a moment, shaking his head, as he walked to the island, taking a seat opposite Akira. As Akira began to recover, picking the pot back up, Ryuji grinned, leaning forward slightly.

“Besides, the only one I wanna be sharing half-chewed marshmallows with is you!”

Akira snorted, “Romantic.”

“Plenty more where that came from.” Again, he leaned forward and pinched a marshmallow, Akira gaped at him.

“Stop that! Or you’ll get no marshmallows on the hot chocolate.” He teased, putting the pot aside, the mugs full.

“See, now  _ that’s  _ not very Christmassy of you.”

They laughed as Akira stacked the marshmallows high, pouring them generously over each cup, careful to keep them away from Ryuji’s reach- something he didn’t fail to notice.

“Hey! What, you don’t trust me around marshmallows anymore?”

Akira didn’t so much as pause for contemplation, smirking as he slipped the mugs onto the table, “Too right I don’t, marshmallow thief.”

Walking around the counter, Akira untied the apron absentmindedly, hanging it up beside Sojiro’s, eyes not straying from his own mug, and the sweet treat piled on top.

“Words hurt, man.”

Akira slipped into the seat next to Ryuji, pulling his own mug closer to him, “Hush and eat your marshmallows.” The heat of the hot chocolate made the marshmallows all the more enjoyable, sticky and with the faint aftertaste of chocolate, Akira fought the urge to reach for the marshmallow jar and add more to his own drink.

The faint chime of Leblanc’s door interrupted all thoughts of doing that, as Sojiro entered, plastic bags in one hand. He raised an eyebrow at their mugs.

“That’s a lot of marshmallows.” Was all he offered, letting the door swing shut behind him as he made his way to the counter.

“More marshmallows, more festive.” Argued Akira, taking a small sip from his drink as he watched Sojiro fight down an amused smile.

“Sure, not at all an excuse to intake more sugar, hm?” Wisely, he didn’t receive a response to that question, instead left to put the shopping items away, “What time’re you two leaving anyway? Don’t wanna miss the ceremony.”

“We have an hour, we’ll make it with time to spare.” Akira shrugged, neither of the pair concerned about missing it. Of course, if that was because they’d each studied the times religiously the days prior, than neither was to know.

“Good, you can go be flirty elsewhere.” Futaba looked over her laptop screen, sticking her tongue out at the pair of them.

“You’re just upset you don’t have a hot chocolate.” Ryuji smirked, taking a long sip from his mug in smug satisfaction. 

An effect which was utterly ruined by a marshmallow that had stuck to his nose.

As Ryuji scrunched up his face and pulled it off (immediately throwing it in his mouth) the cafe floor was filled with the sound of laughter, loud and spirited, and Ryuji couldn’t even find it in himself to pout- too busy joining in.

Akira felt warm as he joined in alongside everyone else, his stomach aching from laughing so much.. 

Yeah, maybe this could be a perfect Christmas afterall.

* * *

 

Half an hour later had found Ryuji and Akira sprinting out of Leblanc, coats wrapped thick around them, in a mad dash for the train station. Too distracted by the activity within the cafe, neither had noticed they were 10 minutes behind schedule, which had lead to them nearly missing the train.

As it happened, they just managed to catch one as the doors were closed- but it ended up being a busy compartment. For the duration of their (thankfully short) journey they stood crammed up against one another, catching their breaths whilst trying not to be too irksome to the other train-goers. By the time they had arrived in Inokashira Park, they were too busy joking together about their near-miss to care. And when they realised they hadn’t missed the ceremony of the lights, then that was all the more relieving.

“We made it.” Sighed Ryuji, intertwining his hands with Akira as they walked, thin layer of snow crunching underfoot.

Tall trees framed their view, long since left bare from the leaf-fall of autumn, frost decorating the branch ends. Carefully hanging between trees, not clearly visible at first glance, were unlit lights, winding around branches and connecting tree to tree- Akira felt his heart flutter in anticipation.

“It looks amazing already.” Akira couldn’t help but gape, from the frosted tips of the snow, to the children giggling by the lake in the distance, he squeezed Ryuji’s hand.

“Aren’t you from you countryside? This must be nothing by comparison….” Ryuji’s voice trailed off at the end, gaze averted slightly.

Thing was, in terms of aesthetic- Ryuji had a point. This was only a small picture of what surrounded Akira back in his hometown, where frosted greenery and oddly beautiful bare trees stretched for miles, seen everywhere in sight. Where he always walked through such scenery just walking home from school.

But it was by no means as beautiful. As heartwarming. 

The walk home everyday in the snow, when all he had to keep him company was the steady crunch of snow under his feet, the faint sound of friends and family laughing as they pelted snowballs at eachother, before retiring home for some hot chocolate. He remembered how excited people at school got for the switching of the lights in the main town, their voices being blocked out by Akira’s own thoughts, the reminder he wouldn’t be going yet again, for it was better to miss the ceremony than to go alone.

Standing by Ryuji’s side, waiting for the lights to turn on in this overcrowded city, the populated park, Akira could think of nowhere else he’d rather be. Nobody else he’d rather stand by.

“This is so much better.” Akira promised, his breath hardly above a whisper, briefly bumping his hip against Ryuji’s.

Around them, voices began to yell, spirited and boisterous. Families huddled close, couples linking hands, everyone joining in on the countdown.

Sharing a wide smile, Akira and Ryuji’s voiced joined the masses, eyes up at the hanging branches, the lights threaded between them, their hands unlocked, moving instead to hug one another’s side, grip tight.

“EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX-”

Distinctly, the sound of clapping could be heard in accompaniment, others raising their hands in the air in celebration. Ryuji hardly noticed any of it, too lost in his own reminisce.

“FIVE, FOUR-”

His Ma loved old Christmas traditions, every year without fail she’s always tried to bring as much festivity to their small apartment as possible. Even when his Dad was around, Ryuji’s Ma tried every year to not let it spoil Christmas. 

She loved the ceremony of turning on the Christmas lights, she’d never gone to one herself- but their own ceremony of turning the Christmas Tree’s lights on had always been enough for them, their moment.

Her face had lit up when Ryuji told her where he was taking Akira today, unable to be any more happy for her son and his boyfriend.

“THREE, TWO,  _ ONE _ !”

Vibrant white lights shone through the trees, bright and dazzling against the darkening sky. The view stretched for what felt like miles, trees interconnected by overhanging glimmers, lighting paths that normally became too dark by nightfall- it was as if the trees had their own starts. Ryuji felt a panging in his chest at the sight.

He remembered last year, the sweeping chill that never should have touched him from inside his bedroom, but the panging of loneliness he’d always thought he had become used to left him exposed. There wasn’t even his Ma to stay with him, not even on Christmas day, they needed the money and the opportunity for Christmas pay way too great to ignore- even if it left Ryuji relatively bed-bound for the duration of the day, leg entrapped in a cast- still painful and throbbing, a remaining scar.

All day, he’d sat at his bed and watched through the window. The children of neighbouring apartments ran out in the snow, their parents following. There was snowball fights that lasted hours, full of laughter and love, all of them running and playing without any other concern in the world.

No worries about their futures, or their safety. No need to concern about the welfare of their parents, nor about how lonely and pointless school was now. Ryuji had envied them so much. He’d watched the falling snow, the happy family, with so much longing it  _ hurt _ .

Staring out over the hanging lights, with a comforting warmth by his side, Ryuji couldn’t believe how much had changed since then.

Sure, his leg was still effed, it probably would be forever, but oddly enough- it didn’t irk him as much as it used to. 

Not when he had so many people by his side, ready to catch him when he stumbled. Not when he had someone who helped him forget the pain was even there.

Shujin was no longer so dark and cold, a prison for his misery and home for his insecurity. Now it was filled with fond memories, endless lunches spent laughing on the rooftops, messing around in the Student Council Room. The warmth that spread in his chest as he remembered training sessions and study dates, time just for themselves. Just him and Akira.

Ever since that fateful day in April, things had changed for the better, and it was all because of him.

Ryuji’s eyes strayed from the lights, landing on his boyfriend beside him.

The illuminance reflected in those deep grey eyes, so wide with wonder and childish amazement, it had been months since Ryuji saw Akira smile so wide, look so free and unaffected by the stain of the world around them, by all he’s been though. There were small flecks of white in his hair, causing a stark contrast against the charcoal mess of hair.

It had started to snow, and Ryuji hasn’t even noticed, too distracted by his thoughts, by Akira.

Akira, who never strayed from his side, who’d supported him through everything. Through the nightmares, and the leg pains- he’d been the only one in Shujin to really see past the rumours, the judgements. 

Akira, who’d been his constant, who Ryuji could see by his side from every Christmas onwards. Memories of sitting alone by the windowsill, listening to the laughter of other families are just a distant past compared to what he has now, and what he hoped to have, forever.

His smile was just as wide as Akira’s, as their gazes met, and Ryuji couldn’t help but pull Akira in for a kiss, uncaring of the rest of the world- the laughter and joy around them, the light falling of snow, everything in that moment was framed perfectly, just for them.

Akira wrapped his arms around Ryuji’s neck, pulling him closer, and in that moment they both knew that neither of them could imagine a Christmas any different, spent with anyone else.

Only them, forever.


End file.
